Salvia plant named &#39;g14251&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘G14251’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; strong and sturdy lateral branches; medium green-colored leaves; early, freely and continuous flowering habit; long and thick inflorescences with large dark violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Salvia farinacea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘G14251’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION AND STATEMENT REGARDING PRIORDISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

This application claims priority to a Canadian Plant Breeders' Rightsapplication filed on May 17, 2019, application number 19-9870. Therehave been no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to theeffective filing date of this Application and no accessibility to one ofordinary skill in the art could have been derived from the printed PlantBreeder's Rights documents.

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisementsrelating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred morethan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application.Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant, botanically known as Salvia farinacea and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘G14251’.

The new Salvia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new vigorous and freely-branching Salviaplants with attractive leaves, large flowers on long and thickinflorescences and good garden performance.

The new Salvia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on August, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Salvia farinaceaidentified as code number G2X-31942, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with an unidentified proprietary selection of Salviafarinacea, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Salviaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. on Oct. 8, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Salvia plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in Bellefonte, Pa., since October, 2014 has shown that theunique features of this new Salvia plant are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Salvia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘G14251’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘G14251’ as a new and distinct Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.    -   4. Strong and sturdy lateral branches.    -   5. Medium green-colored leaves.    -   6. Early, freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   7. Long and thick inflorescences with large dark violet-colored        flowers.    -   8. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Salvia differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in plant and flowering habit as plants of the newSalvia are more uniform in plant and flowering habit than plants of theparent selections.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of Salvia farinacea‘G13592’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,680. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of ‘G13592’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1 Leaves of plants of the new Salvia are darker green in color        than leaves of plants of ‘G13592’.    -   2. Plants of the new Salvia flower earlier and longer during the        summer than plants of ‘G13592’.    -   3. Plants of the new Salvia have longer inflorescences than        plants of ‘G13592’.    -   4. Plants of the new Salvia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘G13592’.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of Salvia farinacea‘DANSUNFUN1’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,788. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of ‘DANSUNFUN1’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are larger and more vigorous than        plants of ‘DANSUNFUN1’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Salvia are darker green in color        than leaves of plants of ‘DANSUNFUN1’.    -   3 Plants of the new Salvia flower later than plants of        ‘DANSUNFUN1 ’.    -   4. Plants of the new Salvia have longer inflorescences than        plants of ‘DANSUNFUN1’.    -   5. Plants of the new Salvia have larger flowers than plants of        ‘DANSUNFUN1’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Salvia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Salvia plant.

At the top of the photographic sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘G14251’ grown in a container and at thebottom of the photographic sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘G14251’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in 15.25-cmcontainers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in St. Thomas, Ontario,Canada and under cultural practices typical of commercial Salviaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 27° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants werepinched three weeks after planting and were ten weeks from plantingrooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia farinacea ‘G14251’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia            farinacea identified as code number G2X-31942, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Salvia farinacea, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 10 to 14            days at soil temperatures about 22.2° C. and ambient            temperatures about 18.3° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant from an unrooted            cutting, summer and winter.—About five to six weeks at soil            temperatures about 22.2° C. and ambient temperatures about            18.3° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white to creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown            as a container and garden plant; upright to outwardly            spreading plant habit; uniform plant and flowering habit;            vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching with about four to            five primary lateral branches each with about four secondary            branches and each with four tertiary branches; bushy and            dense appearance.        -   Plant height.—About 35.9 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 49.7 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 31 cm. Diameter:            About 3.2 mm. Internode length: About 5.3 cm. Strength:            Strong and sturdy. Aspect: Mostly upright to about 30° to            45° from vertical. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent,            longitudinally ridged; semi-glossy. Color, developing: Close            to 144C. Color, developed: Close to 143C; along ridges,            close to N187C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 8.6 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Mostly entire; proximally may be broadly crenate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Sparsely pubescent;            semi-glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Sparsely pubescent and            moderately pubescent along midrib; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 145D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Moderately to densely pubescent; matte.            Color, upper surface: Close to 144B. Color, lower surface:            Close to 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers            arranged on erect terminal and axillary racemes; freely            flowering habit with about 25 to 36 flowers developing per            inflorescence and more than 450 flowers developing per            plant; flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants            begin flowering about six to seven weeks after planting;            plants flower from late spring until frost in Central            Pennsylvania.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to five days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Densely pubescence,            velvety; matte. Color: Close to 93A, 93B and 93C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 16.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Flower length.—About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 4.5 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals with two upper petals fused            forming a galea, two lateral petals and a single broader            lower petal forming a protruding lip. Upper galea length:            About 5 mm. Upper galea width: About 4 mm. Lateral petal            length: About 3 mm. Lateral petal width: About 3 mm. Lower            lip length: About 1.3 cm. Lower lip width: About 1.2 cm.            Shape: Upper galea, hooded; lateral petals, rounded; lower            lip, rounded oblong. Apex: Round. Base: Fused into a narrow            tube. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface:            Pubescent; somewhat glossy. Texture and luster, lower            surface: Minute pubescence; somewhat glossy. Texture and            luster, throat: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture            and luster, tube: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy.            Color: Galea, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 93A; venation, close to 93A; color does not fade            with development. Galea, when opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 93B to 93C; venation, close to 93B            to 93C; color does not fade with development. Lateral            petals, when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 93B; venation, close to 93B; color does not fade with            development. Lateral petals, when opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 93B to 93C; venation, close to 93B            to 93C; color does not fade with development. Lower lip,            when opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 93C;            stripes, close to N155A; venation, close to 93C; color does            not fade with development. Lower lip, when opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 91A; center, close to 91D;            venation, close to 91A and 91D; color does not fade with            development. Throat: Close to N155A; venation, close to            N155A. Tube: Close to NN155C; venation, close to NN155C.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused to form a tubular            bilabiate calyx. Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Sepal shape: Roughly deltoid. Sepal apex: Slightly retuse.            Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, inner            surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, outer            surface: Densely pubescent; matte. Color: When developing            and fully developed, inner surface: Close to 93C; distally,            close to 93A. When developing and fully developed, outer            surface: Close to 93C; distally, close to 93A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 11.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture and luster:            Densely pubescent, longitudinally ridged; matte. Color:            Close to 138B; along the ridges, close to 93D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: About 90° from peduncle            axis. Texture and luster: Moderately pubescent; matte.            Color: Close to N77C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to            NN155D. Anther size: About 2 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape:            Oblong. Anther color: Close to 79B. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 13A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma diameter: About            3 mm. Stigma shape: Bipartite. Stigma color: Close to 94A.            Style length: About 9 mm. Style color: Close to NN155B.            Ovary color: Close to 145B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not            been observed on plants of the new Salvia plant.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Salvia have    not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Salvia plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good    garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures    ranging from 13° C. to 38° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘G14251’ asillustrated and described.